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(04/15/09 12:00pm)
Well, it's April and the Knicks didn't make the playoffs, neither did the Nets and if you cheer for the Sixers it's a well-documented fact that you're a communist. So, with baseball about to start, why should anyone around these parts be as excited as I am about the 2009 NBA Playoffs?
Because this year they could prove to be really freaking exciting. I'm not necessarily talking about March Madness, heart-attack inducing excitement, but after sitting back and consulting my crystal ball, I've decided there are a host of interesting story lines that even the most lapsed basketball fan could appreciate when the 16 surviving teams tip off on Sunday.
1. All Hail The King?
Ever since he first stepped onto the hardwood, LeBron "King" James has been drawing comparisons to His Airness. But if LeBron truly wants to be like Mike, then he needs to put a championship-ring-shaped exclamation point on what has already been a monster season. By the end of '09, LeBron could potentially lead his team to the best record in the NBA, a 65-plus win season, a tie for the best regular season home record in NBA history (40-1 at Quicken Loans Arena if they close out the season flawless) and an NBA championship all while earning himself regular season and Finals MVP honors. The Cavs winning the title wouldn't be that big of a surprise, but it would certainly heat up the conversation as to who is better . and with Jordan entering the hall of fame this year, some brazen reporter is sure to start probing him about it.
2. Shuffle up and deal
Many of this year's playoff contenders could be in for a facelift if they don't succeed. Mark Cuban has already threatened to burn down the house and start again if the Mavericks don't make some noise in the playoffs this year. The eccentric owner is still smarting from first-round losses at the hands of the Warriors and Hornets in consecutive years, but with the Mavs slated to face the Lakers in Round One, this might be the last year we see Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitizki and Josh Howard on the same team. The same goes for the Suns, who may fall victim to some front office tinkering if (when) they don't make the playoffs. Houston is in a similar situation. Even though they hold the four seed right now and are looking at a winnable first round tilt with New Orleans, failure to advance could mean coaching or lineup changes.
3. Uh, c'mon, shake your moneymaker!
Consider the top five teams in the NBA and you will see at least one Finals pairing that nobody on the corporate side of things wants to acknowledge as a possibility. Denver-Cleveland. If that happens, the NBA is facing the same problem the MLB suits did this year when the Phils and Rays went head to head . both home teams were outside of major metropolitan markets. Ratings tanked and the guys in corporate started popping open bottles of scotch to drown out the misery. This is becoming a problem in every sport that isn't football, because everybody will watch the Super Bowl even if The Signal editorial staff is lining up against the London Silly Nannies of Family Guy fame. The SuperBowl is a holiday, the NBA finals are not. Everyone who makes money off this league wants to see Kobe vs. LeBron because they know it will pull in ratings, advertising and cold hard cash. But if we end up with a Denver-Cleveland or Denver-Orlando pairing, it's going to be very interesting to see what happens on the business side of things.
4. May Madness?
Everybody loves dark horses and I'm no exception. This year, Utah and (gasp) Detroit are the two teams I think could cause some upset havoc in Round One. Barring a freak accident, Utah will enter as the sixth or seventh seed in the West and earn a date with Denver or San Antonio, but they have been scraping by due to injuries to my main man Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Andre Kirilenko. The Jazz are a far better team than their record shows, they are very dangerous at home and their lockdown defense matches up well with a Nuggets team that likes to run. Katy Perry's "Hot and Cold" might as well be the Pistons' march song throughout these playoffs. One week they look like they belong in the lottery, but then they play Orlando and have no problem dealing them a 20-point loss. Detroit holds a semi-comfortable lead over the Bobcats (never thought I'd say that) for the eighth spot right now, but the team is made up of a bunch of proven guys who know how to win. They also owned the Magic this year, so if Detroit and Orlando lock up in the as the seventh and two seeds respectively, Detroit could pull an upset in seven games.
5.I Love This Game!
And you should too. For argument's sake, I'm going with Cleveland over L.A. in seven games.
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(03/25/09 4:00pm)
The softball team's road woes continued over the weekend, as the Lions returned from their second out-of-state trip this season with a 7-9 record. After only managing to win four out of 10 on a Spring Break trip to Clermont, Fla., the Lions dropped three out of four at the Salisbury Invitational in Maryland over the weekend.
The Lions' struggles started on March 20, when the Capital University Crusaders stopped junior Ashley Minervini's scoreless streak at 23.1 innings en route to a 3-2 victory. After recording two easy outs to start the game, Minervini surrendered back-to-back singles to put runners in scoring position as the Crusaders' sophomore catcher Jen Reimer stepped into the batter's box. Reimer lifted a pitch out of the park, putting the Crusaders up 3-0 in the top of the first.
Lions' senior Kelly Armstrong returned fire in the bottom of the second, driving in two with a home run of her own, but neither team would score again on the afternoon.
Later in the day it was the Lions who struck first, knocking in three runs in the first inning before riding a stellar performance by rookie pitcher Lauren Fitzsimmons to a 5-1 win over SUNY-Geneseo. Armstrong continued her strong performance from the day before, drawing first blood with a sacrifice bunt that scored Colleen Cawley. Freshman Katelyn Congilose singled up the third base line later in the inning, producing a two-run RBI that put the Lions ahead 3-0.
Fitzsimmons improved to 3-1 over the year, scattering six hits and one run as she recorded nine strikeouts for the complete game victory. Armstrong finished off her monster day with a two-run homer, providing a little extra insurance for the rookie's solid outing.
On the second day of the tournament, offensive futility proved to be the Lions' downfall as they dropped a pair of games, first falling 4-1 to Plattsburgh State before suffering a loss against the tournament host Salisbury Sea Gulls 6-2.
The College found itself locked in a pitching duel with Plattsburg, as Fitzsimmons and Bri Allen both tossed six innings of shutout ball before Armstrong scored the go-ahead run on an error in the top of the seventh. But the Cardinals' junior Amy Woo stole home in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.
With the Lions unable to produce any offense in the extra session, Woo proved to be hero again, finally breaking through with a two-run homerun against an exhausted Fitzsimmons, who struck out 13 and only coughed up one walk in eight innings of work, as the Cardinals held on for a 4-1 win.
Before the grueling road trip, the Lions notched two wins in their home opener, a double-header against Gwynedd-Mercy College. Minervini combined with Alex Sietsma for her third five-inning no-hitter of the year, as the Lion bats lit up their unwelcome visitors, snagging an 11-0 win.
The home team raced out to a 4-0 lead after two innings, scoring seven times over their first nine outs. Ellen Seavers scored on a steal attempt in the first and added a third-inning RBI, Congilose earned an RBI single, as several Lions padded their stat lines with multi-hit and multi-RBI days.
The night contest was much closer, as Fitzsimmons found herself scratching out another hard fought win against Gwynedd Mercy sophomore Susan Bond. Surrendering only three hits and notching eight strikeouts, Fitszimmons outlasted her sophomore counterpart, who allowed Seavers to earn the game's only score on a passed ball. The Lions escaped up 1-0, which pulled them to .500 before the Maryland trip.
The Lions, who now stand at 7-9 on the year, return home to face Muhlenberg today at 3 p.m.
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(03/18/09 4:00pm)
Despite a rocky 4-6 start to their season, the Lions' softball team ended their Spring Break trip to the Sunshine State on an upswing, winning three out of four as junior hurler Ashley Minervini sparked a pair of combined no-hitters.
Minervini's first gem came during a five-inning contest with Rhode Island College, where the Lion bats caught fire en route to a 13-0 shutout victory. Minervini struck out five and walked two in four innings of work. She was followed by sophomore Danielle Bertscha, who struck out two for a perfect final inning.
"Of course it gives me tremendous confidence. But obviously my team also did very well offensively," Minervini said. "It was just working off each other and working off the adrenaline. If I'm throwing a no-hitter and my team's bats are working well it just shows tremendous chemistry for us to be able to feed off of each other like that early in the season."
Centerfielder Danielle Hagel led the offensive drive for the Lions, going 3-for-3 with four RBIs and a pair of runs scored, while shortstop Ellen Seavers went 2-for-3 at the plate, crossing home three times. Minervini helped her own cause, driving in two runs while going 2-for-4.
The junior ace earned her second combined no-hitter on March 14, as the Lions mauled Bates College 13-1 on the final weekend of their spring training tour. Minervini again baffled her opponents for four scoreless innings of work, this time striking out two and walking none. Sophomore Jamie Moir gave up no hits, but allowed a walk and an unearned run as she closed out the contest.
Seavers was productive at the plate once again, going 3-for-3, scoring twice while bringing two of her teammates home. Sophomore Colleen Cawley added three RBIs on a 2-for-4 performance at the plate.
The Lions wrapped up their trip with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Bethel College. Rookie pitcher Lauren Fitzsimmons held Bethel to just one run in six innings of work, while the Lions eked out a pair of scores in a game where neither squad could find a rhythm at plate. Seavers only managed to go 1-for-4 at the plate during the team's final day in Orlando, but the one time she reached safely, the speedy leadoff hitter reached on an error to put the Lions up 1-0.
After Bethel knotted the game at one in the bottom of the third, the Lions scored the go-ahead run in the fifth when Cawley reached on a sacrifice grounder from rookie Katelyn Congilose. Minervini picked up the save in the seventh inning, facing only four batters as she sealed the deal.
While the Lions racked up 30-plus runs in their final four games, poor performances at the plate doomed the College early in the week. During their first four losses, the Lions only managed five runs and were shut out twice. A March 8 contest with Emory University may have been the most disheartening for the Lions during the week, as Emory exploded for four runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Later in the week, a slow offensive start forced a stumble against SUNY-Cortland, as the Lions fell 5-4 on March 10. After the Red Dragons jumped out to a 5-0 lead, the Lions rallied for four in the top of the sixth. But a quiet seventh inning spelled the end, as the Dragons held on for the win.
Despite the 4-6 start to their campaign, and a pre-season poll that ranks them fourth in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), the Lions still believe they can have a successful follow-up to a 2008 season that saw them fall just one win shy of an NJAC title.
"We started out rough but as the trip went on I feel like we got alot stronger and we learned alot from each other," Minervini said. "Although we finished 4-6 we made big strides as far as our team goes, and we improved alot over the course of the week."
"I honestly see it as a challenge to show people what we are actually capable of," said sophomore Amy Ullrich. "They might see us a team that fits in the fourth slot, but they are in for a surprise and a run-for-their-money when the playoffs come around."
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(02/25/09 5:00pm)
What was supposed to be a rebuilding year may have turned into a playoff year, but the men's basketball team is surely still bitter that their first home postseason contest in years ended in a double-digit loss to the Scarlet Raiders of Rutgers-Newark.
Seeded No.2 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference South Division, the Lions sought revenge for a road loss against the Scarlet Raiders 79-74 earlier this season. But junior guard Jay Frank went cold while the Scarlet Raiders own junior spark plug, James Johnson, led all scorers with 17 points and three shots from beyond the arc, paving the way for a 77-66 NJAC tournament win for Rutgers-Newark
"It was a tough loss. I think a lot of the pain we had after the game was that we were just not going to be around each other for a while," Williams said. "Seeing some of the seniors go, that was probably the toughest part. I enjoyed coaching these players and they really enjoyed being with each other. It's just disappointing that we can't be around each another week or two."
The game was a back and forth affair until the final four minutes, where the Scarlet Raiders took a 64-61 lead and went on a 10-3 run to earn themselves a second round battle with top-ranked Montclair State University last night. Rutgers-Newark junior Phil Barnes emphatically ended the Lions season with a thunderous dunk to put the visitors up 10.
Senior forward David Cherry and junior Tim Smith added 16 and 15 points respectively to help pace the Scarlet Raiders, who shot 52% on the afternoon.
"At that point you hope that statistically things would slow down for them in regards to making shots from the outside, but they were able to maintain it for the entire game," Williams said. "When that's happening you have to hope some of those shots will just start to miss, but they were able to get some confidence and just shot the ball better throughout the entire game."
While the Scarlet Raiders offensive firecrackers got hot at the right time, the Lions scoring leader Frank simply could not find his shot, going 2 of 9 from the field before ultimately fouling out. Sophomore stud Aaron Syversten led the Lions with 17 while classmate and forward Stephen Siracusa chipped in 15 off the bench.
Saturday was the final performance for senior co-captain Jeff Molinelli. While the floor leader's importance to the team rarely materialized in the box scores, the defensive minded forward will be sorely missed by his coaches and teammates.
"He's the biggest person we're going to miss. He kept the team together going through three coaches in four years," Williams said. "He was one of the first players on board with my system, he was one player I could always say would put the team first."
Senior shooting guard Eric Blackmon-Hayes and forward Adam Gonzalez will also hang up their blue and gold as a result of the defeat.
Before the crippling defeat, the Lions earned their home playoff date by handily beating Kean University at home on Feb. 18, 71-54.
Four Lions, led by Frank's 16 point performance, would reach double figures as the Cougars never really challenged a determined Lions squad. After clinching a playoff berth by trouncing Rowan four days earlier, the Lions turned their attention to securing a home playoff spot, and their focus resulted in a lopsided takedown of the struggling Cougars. Kean trailed by as many as 21 in the second half.
The Lions finish the season at 6-8 in the conference and 10-15 overall. While Williams is impressed with the team's resolve and improvement, he and his underclass leaders Frank and Siracusa are already set on claiming the NJAC crown next year.
"I'm excited for next year. We have quite a few guys that are very familiar with my system. I'm very excited about the fact that the guys are going into the off season knowing what to expect to be successful," he said. "If we can add some more pieces from a recruiting point of view, we will be in a position to get a playoff spot and try to win a conference championship."
And with his team pulling off two wins over the conference's best after pre-season polls slotted them dead last in the conference, Williams knows these Lions are headed for big things in 2009-2010.
"Without question, I'm still a little bitter, my wounds are still there from Saturday's loss. But I'll be able to reflect on this season and appreciate what we did," Williams said. "To earn a playoff spot and get some wins against nationally-ranked teams, it makes me feel good that the players and the programs are moving in the right direction right now."
(02/18/09 5:00pm)
They could have done things the easy way or the hard way.
But after the men's basketball team dropped an 83-77 decision to the previously winless Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors, the Lions found themselves in a must-win situation Saturday at home against fellow playoff contender Rowan University.
Junior guard Jay Frank tallied 23 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double, junior forward Aaron Syvertsen added 11 and the Lions stopped a six-game losing streak and clinched a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) playoff spot with a decisive 62-47 victory over the Profs in Packer Hall Saturday afternoon.
As of press time, the Lions are tied with the Kean University Cougars for second place in the NJAC Southern Division. Both stand at 5-7 in the conference, and they meet on the final day of the season. The College has a one-game lead on Rowan, and owns the head-to-head tiebreaker between the two squads, ensuring the Lions at least the third and final playoff spot.
The Lions defense was stifling on Saturday, holding Rowan to just 19 first half points on 29 percent shooting. On the offensive continued from page 32
side of the ball, Frank and senior guard Jeff Molinelli picked apart the Profs 3-2 zone defense, dishing and driving the lanes to create scoring opportunities. Each of the guards hit a three to close the first half, extending the lead to 12.
The Profs caused trouble in the second half, rattling off an 8-0 run while holding the Lions scoreless through the opening six minutes of the period. But with the Lions lead wittled down to 31-27, Frank netted a three from the top of the arc. Molinelli followed up with a trey of his own, and on the next possession, the senior drove the lane for a layup and drew contact. Molinelli completed the conventional three-point play and the Lion lead rose back to 12.
"At half time we talked about trying to jump out on them and trying to move that lead from 12 to 20. Unfortunately we went into a drought. We just kind of got on our heels and things weren't just falling into place," Williams said. "It was great that Jay was able to knock down that shot and get things going."
Rowan's senior center Tim Cook had 11 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Profs, but it wasn't enough. Rowan faced Rutgers-Camden Tuesday night, but they still need Kean to lose tonight when they visit the College to have any chance at landing a playoff spot.
Before their all-important win over Rowan, the Lions suffered an embarrassing setback when Rutgers-Camden earned their first conference win of the season, besting the Lions 83-77 on Feb. 10. Scarlet Raptors senior guard Bill Banks poured in a career high 26 points to lead five Scarlet Raptors players in double figures. In a game of runs, the Lions surged back from an early 12-point deficit several times throughout the contest, but the visitors could not get closer than four. Scarlet Raptors junior forward Tarik Hanton (16), freshman guard Joe Bush (13), junior guard Rory Thornton (11) and senior Josh Askew (10) were all in double figures.
Lions' sophomore Chris Snyder exploded off the bench for a career-high 20 points and Frank drained 11, but they were the only Lions in double figures and unable to keep pace with Banks' onslaught.
The Lions host Kean tonight at 8 p.m. in Packer Hall. Both teams stand at 5-7 in the conference. The winner claims the second spot in the NJAC South and a home playoff game.
"The players understand how successful we've been at home," Williams said. "The players understand what's at stake so I know they will respond and stay focused."
(02/11/09 5:00pm)
A pair of tough road losses extended the Lions' worst losing streak of the season to five, wounding the men's basketball team's playoff chances as they approach their final New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) contests.
The Lions traveled to Phoenixville, Pa., on Feb. 4 where they wound up on the wrong end of a close battle with the Valley Forge Christian College Patriots, falling 78-76. Three days later, the Lions lost a pivotal conference contest when No.10 Richard Stockton College trounced the visiting Lions 77-61.
After last week's three-game slip, head coach Kelly Williams said his team understood that squads sometimes go through rough patches. The coach and his charges still believe they are in a position to make a run, despite the pair of losses against the Patriots and Ospreys.
"Right now, surprisingly, we're still very optimistic. The players understand that if we can finish up strong these next three games, we have a great opportunity to have a home playoff game," Williams said. "Our goal from day one was to make the playoffs."
The Patriots (20-5) got hot from beyond the arc, shooting 58.3 percent from dowtown to build a 39-31 lead at the break. The host squad would pour in 10 three-pointers on the night, led by senior guard Nate Stoner who hit three from deep to score a game-high 17 points. Stoner's counterpart, senior guard Justyn Mitchell, added 16 points, and both guards snared seven rebounds to lead the Patriots.
The Lions wasted another solid performance by sophomore forward Stephen Siracusa. The young star tallied 12 points and seven rebounds on the afternoon, also netting two second-half three-pointers that helped keep the Lions in the fight. Junior forward Aaron Syverstern and junior guard Jay Frank added 13 points each.
On Saturday, Syverstern exploded for 22 points and senior captain Jeff Molinelli added 14, but the rest of their teammates seemed lost on offense as the Ospreys (10-1) blew past the visiting Lions, 77-61.
In their final regular season home game, the Ospreys put on a show for their home faithful with senior guard Jerome Hubbard leading the parade. Hubbard poured in 23 points, going five-for-10 from beyond the arc. Hubbard's hot hand helped him earn a place in Richard Stockton athletic history as he scored his 1,000th point Saturday afternoon.
"We weren't able to maintain our level of energy against Stockton. They were ready for it and we weren't able to handle their run midway through the first, so we were just playing catch up after that," Williams said.
When Hubbard hit a three to reach the milestone with five minutes left in the game, the Lions found themselves behind 71-49 and could do nothing but hang their heads as the Osprey fans met Hubbard with a standing ovation.
Syverstern matched Hubbard as best he could, totaling 22 points on five-of-11 shooting from deep, but three other Ospreys wound up scoring double-figures, burying the Lions' chances. Junior forward Omar Smith had 18, while sophomore guard Michael Farrow, junior forward Santini Lancioni and sophomore guard Kai Massaquoi drained 10 points each.
Syverstern started hot, hitting a pair of threes to put the Lions up 10-4, but a huge first-half run, sparked by Hubbard, vaulted the Ospreys to an eight-point half-time lead, and they never looked back.
With only one week of conference play to go, the Lions (8-13 overall, 4-6 NJAC) are clinging to the final playoff spot in the South Division. In their final two contests of the season, they play host to the Rowan University Profs (4-6 NJAC) and Kean University Cougars (4-7 NJAC). Richard Stockton has already clinched the division, while the Lions, Cougars and Profs must now fight for the two remaining playoff spots.
The Lions start their final push for a playoff berth tonight at 8 p.m. when they travel to face the struggling Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors (0-9 NJAC). While Williams refused to call the match up with the woeful Raptors a "trap game," his team won't take the game for granted either.
"Although their record shows they have struggled, they are still a very dangerous team," Williams said. "They're at home and we only beat them by five points at our place. It's going to be a competitive game. They're playing very well. They lost to Stockton by two points two weeks ago."
The second-place Profs will look to spoil the Lions playoff hopes in Packer Hall at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Next Wednesday, at 8 p.m., the Lions face Kean in a game that could be the difference between a playoff berth and another off-season full of questions.
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(02/04/09 5:00pm)
A week after their huge upset of the No. 23 William Paterson University Pioneers, the men's basketball team watched their New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) and home win streaks fall to pieces as they dropped three straight contests against Wesley College, Kean University and Ramapo College.
"All teams usually go through a tough week of basketball and this past week was just a rough one for us," head coach Kelly Williams said. "We have to keep everything in perspective, realize we have two weeks left of basketball and keep in mind that we are still in a good position to make the playoffs in the NJAC."
The week of bad breaks leaves the Lions at 4-5 in the NJAC, still good for second in the Southern Conference, and 8-12 overall.
The hardest loss to swallow came Saturday, when the Lions fell short against conference foe Ramapo 71-60 at home. For the third game in a row, the Lions were down by 10 or more points at half time. The Roadrunners jumped out to a 39-29 lead thanks to the inspired play of junior guard Andre Kenny, who netted 15 points in the first half and 23 on the day.
In the second half, the Lions used a string of surges set off by junior guard Jay Frank (16 points) and junior forward Aaron Syversten (15 points), who hit five three-pointers in the afternoon contest, to keep things close. But after a Syversten trey brought the Lions within two, Ramapo extended their lead to eight with a trio of layups around the two-minute mark.
The Roadrunners received a boost off the bench thanks to rookie Davian Plunkett, who posted a double-double against the Lions, tallying 10 points and 12 rebounds.
On Wednesday, the Lions traveled north hoping to gain ground against the NJAC Southern Conference leading Kean University Cougars, but the Lions were once again unable to surmount a second half comeback, falling 59-54.
Frank had another phenomenal game, as the sharp-shooting guard knocked down 16 in the second half and 21 on the day. But the Cougars stingy defense held the Lions to just 21.6 percent shooting from the field in the first half, while forcing turnovers that led to a 13-1 run that closed out the period and put the Cougars up 32-22.
"What it's coming down to is there is usually a lull we have within the first half and in the last two games its come in that three to five minute mark of the first half," Williams said. "Teams were getting loose balls and second shots and we weren't mentally tough at those stages of the games."
Again, the Lions used late runs to keep the contest close, pulling within one on two separate occasions in the final minute. But the Cougars' junior guard Dean Hughes scored six points in the final sixty seconds. Hughes drained four consecutive attempts from the charity stripe to ice the victory.
Before the Lions' two-game NJAC skid, they traveled to Wesley College's Wentworth Gymnasium where they wound up on the wrong end of a shoot out, falling to the Wolverines 108-99 in non-conference action.
The Wolverines' junior center Rashawn Johnson was the difference maker, pouring in 30 points and snaring 10 rebounds in the contest. While the faster-paced game seemed to suit the Lions and Williams' new-look offense, the team couldn't remain consistent on defense, as they went to the half trailing 56-45.
Syversten and Frank provided sufficient fire power once again in the second half, scoring 23 and 21 points, respectively. But junior guard Evan Martin backed up Johnson's monster performance, scoring 11 points and hauling in 15 rebounds. The Lions were simply outgunned as the Wolverines tallied their ninth straight victory.
Upcoming chances for redemption for the Lions will be games against Valley Forge College and rival Richard Stockton College.
Williams says that while he's disappointed with the three-game slide, he knows his charges still have the determination to win some in-conference games and snag a playoff spot.
"The next four conference games are huge because we play Kean at home, Rowan at home, and those are the two teams we're competing with for those spots," Williams said. "If we can get two wins at home and pull a nice victory on the road I think we're going to have a good shot for the playoffs."
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(02/04/09 12:00pm)
The office of Campus Police is getting some reinforcements.
Three campus security officers have been promoted and will join the force as full-time police officers this semester. Officer Charles Clement was sworn in on Christmas Eve, while security officers Brendan Keats and Patrick Taylor were promoted during a ceremony at Campus Police headquarters on Monday.
"We are gaining ground slowly," police Chief John Collins said. "I'm optimistic that we will be near fully staffed sometime in late 2009 or early 2010."
Collins was joined by College President R. Barbrara Gitenstein and New Jersey Deputy Attorney General John Franzini in swearing in the two new cops.
As The Signal first reported in April 2008, the office of Campus Police has struggled to retain a "full complement" of officers for several years. The College officially recognizes 21 officers as a full staff.
Collins and his staff also said goodbye to Sgt. Donald Rizzo, presenting him with a commemorative plaque and retirement badge for his 25 years of service.
Rizzo retired on Sunday, Feb. 1.
Collins said with Rizzo's departure and the addition of Officers Keats, Taylor and Clement, the department now has a staff of 17 sworn officers.
"Having our full complement of officers is absolutely something that helps to ensure we have a safe and secure campus," Golden said. "Since I've been here we've wanted to have a full complement of officers. There have been more impediments in the hiring process but some of those have been alleviated now."
Golden added that the installation of new officers was not in response to "any previous criminal activity." During the Fall 2008 semester, the campus fell victim to a string of car thefts from Lot 6 and a Halloween robbery/shooting outside the Brower Student Center.
While there has not been an arrest in either incident, law enforcement agencies have recovered all but two of the cars stolen from Lot 6 during the semester-long crime spree that saw criminals use a set of motor vehicle master keys to boost seven cars from the College's largest parking deck.
According to Collins, two cars were recovered over Winter Break, with the most recent vehicle found in Mercer County. Police at the scene also recovered a set of "wiggle keys," which Collins described as keys that were filed down to fit a lock, inside the stolen car.
The Philadelphia Police Department recovered a Nissan stolen from Lot 6 on Dec. 14, but Collins could not confirm that an arrest was made.
Law enforcement agencies have not been able to find the man wanted for questioning in the semester-long crime spree either. In November of 2008, Campus Police released a sketch of a 20 to 22-year-old male who was seen driving a stolen blue-green Honda out of Lot 6 on Oct. 20. The 5-foot 8-inch, 170-pound suspect was last seen exiting Lot 6 around 2:40 p.m. on Oct. 20.
The police sketch, which was distributed last semester, said the suspect was seen wearing a collared gray jacket, and has dark hair and complexion and a medium build.
In addition to last semester's car thefts, a series of property thefts prompted the office of Campus Police to send a timely warning e-mail to students on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
"Since the start of the spring semester, (Campus) Police have had reports of 10 personal property thefts that have occurred in parking lots and campus buildings," the e-mail read. "Although these incidents were crimes against property and do not appear to constitute a threat to the personal safety, they are disturbing. In reviewing these cases, we have noticed that in all but one, the property was left in unlocked cars or rooms and was readily visible, or was left unattended in a public place."
Collins said items that have gone missing included iPods, back packs and wallets. He also described the property thefts as "crimes of opportunity."
"The common denominator is that the victim said they left their door unlocked, left their car unlocked," he said. "Every single one of these was a preventable incident."
Campus Police asked that students do everything they can to prevent criminal activity by securing their property, and to call campus police at x2345 if they notice any suspicious activity.
In addition to the added presence of three new police officers on campus this semester, both Collins and Golden said the College is still considering installing video surveillance at specific locations on campus.
"The College is discussing cameras but we don't want to go about it haphazardly," Collins said. "Things like that have to get phased in over a period of time. We want to make sure we're spending the money in the right direction."
Golden confirmed the possibility of added video surveillance and mentioned that he anticipates the results of the campus-wide security audit to be released sometime during the semester.
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(02/04/09 12:00pm)
We were 60 minutes away from a pair of world championships. All we needed to do was win a pair of Game 7's. Sixty minutes away from double-booking the fabled "Canyon of Heroes."
Any New York sports fan worth their salt remembers 1994, remembers the pair of battle-tested warriors trying to bring history home for the greatest sports city in the modern world. Sixty minutes separated Mark Messier and Patrick Ewing from making the New York Rangers and New York Knicks the first pair of Big Apple sports squads to sit on top of the world in the same year.
Hockey was never my sport, but even I couldn't help but feel a certain sense of pride when I saw Messier lift Lord Stanley's Cup at center ice in Madison Square Garden. I was eight years old, but the image of Messier's elated, gap-tooth grin after ending the Rangers 54-year title drought has never left me. It still remains synonymous with New York sports pride. A few days later, my Knicks failed to deliver a second dose of glory, falling to the vaunted Houston Rockets in seven games.
Now, in 2008, my city screams again and they are vulgarity-laced tirades. There are questions about whether or not an illegal handgun cost the Giants a Super Bowl. The Knicks are slowly clawing their way out from the Isiah Thomas years. The tabloids pay strict attention to Stephon Marbury's contract status, and shrug at the fact that the Knicks are in the thick of the playoff hunt. Joe Torre and David Wells are taking pot shots at each other through autobiographies and radio talk shows. Citi Corp. is burning through mounds of tax payer money to keep the naming rights for Shea Stadium: Part Two. Mets fans are on the verge of bringing bottles of scotch and oxycodone to every home game in 2009.
I remember sitting on my Staten Island stoop after each Yankees World Series win and watching the same six drunks run across the lawn of my house, chugging 40s and smashing lamp posts with baseball bats. Same bat time, same bat channel. Each year - like clockwork.
Every year, at least one team set the city on fire. It didn't matter if they wore pin stripes or blue shirts, if they were G-Men marching down the field or a quintet of Knicks pounding the hardwood. This city had heroes.
Yet now, New York sports teams are giving me more and more reasons to punish my liver. Every year, the Big Apple gets dragged further and further away from the Messier-Ewing days, rotted the core by names like Plaxico, Shaun Ellis, Isiah Thomas, "Starbury," Aaron Heilman, David Wells.
This city used to be about winning. Now, like everything else, it's less about blood, sweat and tears and more about money, celebrity status and self-gratification.
Weeks after the Mets fell apart for the second year in a row, literally bringing me closer to tears than my last two break-ups, Aaron Heilman started demanding more money, claiming he deserved to not only be a starter, but be compensated as such. Here's a guy who could have been legally executed for sabotaging the 2008 New York Mets, and he's on his knees asking for the almighty dollar instead of apologizing.
In five years with the Knicks, Isiah Thomas was accused of sexually assaulting a co-worker. He ran the Knicks into the ground, and then to top it all off, he OD'd on sleeping pills and told the media it was his daughter, even when initial police reports listed the victim as a male. You sir, are scum.
In less than a year, Plaxico went from being the reason the G-Men won Super Bowl XLII to the reason Eli had to play Monday-morning quarterback after Super Bowl XLIII. Every kid from the Bronx to Brooklyn wanted to be you last year Plax: Now your next uniform might be orange, and your number won't be 17.
It makes me physically nauseous. Sports teams used to come into the Garden or Giants Stadium, or one of the two baseball parks, ready to fight tooth-and-nail against any New York team. It didn't matter what their record or payroll was that year, they knew the legacy these teams had borne across their backs.
Now teams laugh or at least delight in the fact that no less than three of their opponents are caught up in some kind of criminal or media scandal that is sure to distract them.
The Big Apple has been picked clean, shucked apart and tossed into the trash. And considering the "heart and determination" we get from guys like Plax and Marbury, I'm pretty sure that's where we belong right now.
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(01/28/09 5:00pm)
At the beginning of the season, newly hired head coach Kelly Williams promised he would re-energize and retool the men's basketball team. On Saturday afternoon, in front of a thrilled home crowd in Packer Hall, Williams and his Lions certainly took a huge step in that direction, knocking off a nationally- ranked opponent and a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) foe, when they bested the No. 23 William Paterson University Pioneers 70-65.
"I think our guys are really just starting to believe in our approach to every game, and our philosophy, the ways that we practice and how we perform our games," Williams said. "That's making my job easier and we're having some success."
The Lions controlled the tempo in the first half, leading by as many as nine despite WPU shooting an impressive 51.7 percent from the field. Junior guard Jay Frank poured in 13 during the first half, going shot for shot with the Pioneers' offensive catalyst, senior guard Courtney Nelson. A late run by the Lions' adversaries left the game tied at 36 heading to the intermission.
The Pioneers would fall off the pace again in the second half, trailing 62-56 with just under five minutes to go. Frank, along with senior guard Jeff Molinelli and sophomore forward Steven Siracusa, helped the Lions dominate on the boards, extending possessions that would eventually wear down the Pioneer defense. The Lions managed to snare 42 caroms, while the Pioneers only tracked down 30 rebounds.
In what would again come down to a free-throw shooting contest, Frank and his counterpart, junior guard Eric Blackmon-Hayes, sank five of their six attempts down the stretch to stifle a late Pioneer comeback and seal the Lions' biggest win under Williams, who praised his team for staying strong at the end of such a difficult contest.
"That was definitely one of our biggest hurdles early on. There were at least three or four games that we didn't close out prior to the break," Williams said. "We've been able to learn from those mistakes. Those guys are learning how to finish and play the entire 40 minutes and make every opportunity count at the end of the game."
The win puts the Lions at 4-3 in the NJAC and 8-8 on the year, while the Pioneers fall to 5-2 in conference play and 14-3 overall.
Earlier in the week, Molinelli led the Lions to a hard-fought win, contributing 15 points and eight rebounds in a 67-62 win over the University of Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors. The Lions' normally high-flying offense was stymied, leading to a tie at 27 at halftime with the NJAC's lowest-ranked team.
But on an evening when Frank struggled, senior tri-captain Molinelli stepped into the spotlight, hitting key shots and earning several second-chance points. A pair of 13-point performances from Blackmon-Hayes and junior guard William Jett helped the Lions steadily build a second-half lead and never look back. The defeat was the fourth in a row for the struggling Scarlet Raptors.
"Jeff's importance to the team will never show up statistically. His importance to us is not so much scoring, but it was great to see him score some points against Rutgers-Camden, especially (since) some of our other leading scorers were struggling a little bit," Williams said. "He made some big shots for us and played really well."
The Lion's NJAC mark of 4-3 leaves them sitting in second place in the NJAC South Division. If the season were to end today, they would qualify for the conference tournament. Williams and the rest of his charges are excited to control their own destiny with six games to go in the conference.
"We're putting ourselves in a very good position to make the playoffs, because we don't have to depend on anyone to help us get in," Williams said. "If we just hold serve and win our games, especially the games at home, we're definitely going to be in a position to make the playoffs."
Packer Hall has treated the Lions well, as they hold a 5-1 home record this season, but the squad will be on the road for their next all important conference match- up, visiting Kean University at 8 p.m. tonight. The team hosts NJAC rival Ramapo College Saturday at 3 p.m.
With the superior play of guards Molinelli and Frank along with the leadership of Williams, the Lions are prepared to begin their difficult climb to the top of their conference as they continue their NJAC schedule.
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(01/28/09 12:00pm)
During one of the scarce quiet moments in Brand New's high-octane Friday night performance at the Kendall Hall Auditorium, someone sitting in the far-left corner of the balcony screamed, "I love you, Jesse."
Smirking, Jesse Lacey finished tuning his guitar, raised his fist into the air and then drove it down toward his Fender Telecaster, slamming the opening chord of the band's oft-quoted "Seventy Times 7," once again energizing the sell-out crowd that hadn't sat down since the band kicked off its set around 9:30 p.m.
College Union Board's (CUB) "Welcome Back Weekend Concert" packed Kendall Hall with 837 students (the auditorium's capacity) while another 300 or so grumbled outside in the cold, cursing about how they missed their chance to see Brand New and Brooklyn-born singer/songwriter Kevin Devine rock out at one of the most anticipated concerts in recent memory at the College.
Playing a combination of songs from their last three albums, Brand New mixed nostalgia and intensity to keep the crowd on its feet for more than an hour. Old-school fans screamed along with Lacey to hits like "Jude Law And A Semester Abroad" and "Mix Tape" from the band's 2001 debut album "Your Favorite Weapon," while newer followers were more than happy to brood in time with the front man as he crowed and growled his way through tracks off the band's latest album, the more alternative-rock minded "The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me."
The band spent most of its set delivering the angst-ridden, gut-wrenching, inner-turmoil-driven rock music most College students have grown to love and use for away message fodder, pitching their guitars into the air, letting feedback ring out and close most numbers.
But the Long Island imports had a little fun on stage, too.
After completing the middle portion of the set list, that included the popular combo of "Sowing Season" and "The Archers Bows Have Broken" from their latest disc, several pockets of anxious fans started yelling out requests for older material. Lacey and guitarist Vinnie Accardi bantered for a minute, ignoring the calls while teasing the raucous crowd with half-hearted attempts at the opening lick of "Jude Law And A Semester Abroad." After a series of intentional mishaps, Lacey sang the familiar kick off line, "Whatever poison's in this bottle," before the crowd drowned him out for the remainder of the verse.
Kevin Devine was supposed to be the calm before Brand New's storm, but with the help of the God Damn Band and some tracks off his upcoming "Brother's Blood" LP, the meek- looking songwriter provided a solid rock 'n' roll performance.
Devine has played at the College twice before, touring the Rathskeller with an ensemble cast that included Lacey, The God Damn Band and keyboardist/vocalist Brian Bonz and his side project, the Dot Hongs.
Bonz had a message for the crowd early in the night.
"If you fuck up in school, you fuck up in life. Word," the enigmatic Bonz spat before slapping his tambourine and providing a beat box as the band launched into Devine's "I Could Be With Anyone."
While the crowd didn't jump up and riot like they did when Lacey took the stage, Devine's fans swayed and sang along, waving cell phones through the dimly lit Kendall Hall in place of lighters. The folk rocker played a set weighted down in new material from "Brother's Blood" and the "I Could Be With Anyone" EP, but he also appeased fans with a few tracks off of his one-time major label release "Put Your Ghost To Rest."
By the night's end, every fan in attendance - from the ridiculously devout that stood in line from 2:30 p.m., to the stragglers who squeaked through the front door at the last minute - were swinging and bobbing their heads to Brand New's maudlin ballad "Play Crack The Sky." Lacey and Devine crooned the last chorus over and over again, providing a beat for the satisfied crowd as they shambled toward the exits.
"This is the end," the duo sang. "This story's old but it goes, on and on until we disappear."
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(01/28/09 12:00pm)
Between 300 and 400 students were left out in the cold during last Friday's Welcome Back Weekend Concert, when the College Union Board (CUB)-sponsored event, which featured Long Island rock outfit Brand New and singer/songwriter Kevin Devine & The God Damn Band, sold out well before showtime.
While the 837 students who managed to get inside the Kendall Hall Auditorium have said nothing but good things about the highly anticipated rock concert, some who were unable to snag a seat said they are furious with the way the event was handled.
Jilted concert-goers complained about line-cutting and the lack of advance ticket sales, and wondered why a larger venue was not reserved for the show.
"The cops were stopping line-cutting, but only for the last 45 minutes before showtime," Nicole Lyons, junior graphic design major, said. She was a few feet from the front of the line when the concert sold out.
Lyons said she got in line around 4:30 p.m. and was standing in front of the Social Sciences Building. But as more people snuck into the line, she was pushed closer and closer to the Brower Student Center.
Sophomore psychology major Melissa Zielinski described a similar situation.
"The line just kept getting wider and wider," she said. "At least 30 people got between me and the person I was behind when I got in line."
Even students who were able to get into the show were aggravated by the allegedly unchecked line-cutting.
Victor Tafro, senior computer engineering major, said he was the 12th person in line around 3:20 p.m. on Friday. He said by the time CUB opened the doors for the event, Tafro found himself behind almost 40 people.
"People were pulling people onto the line until almost 8 p.m.," Tafro said. "CUB didn't do their job."
According to the office of Campus Police, CUB and the office of Conference Meeting Services (CMS) did not contract the police to work security for the outside of the event. Three officers were asked to work the actual concert.
"CMS said we were looking at only a 300-person turnout," Sgt. Michael Bell said. "We noticed (line-cutting) would be a problem if it wasn't addressed. People had been waiting out there for nearly two hours. I wasn't just going to let anyone cut to the front."
Bell said police took between 30 and 50 line cutters and moved them to the rear of the line.
According to Jessica Claar, assistant director of Student Activities, CUB has not found the need to police presence at their previous events.
"Historically, in the past CUB has not contracted police to serve as line monitors at Kendall events, as the need has not presented itself," Claar said. "Previous general admission events where lines have formed have not elicited behavior in need of a police presence."
CUB director Katerina Gkionis said her staff tried to combat the line-jumpers, but their efforts proved futile.
"We could not do anything about that," she wrote in an e-mail interview. "When we saw that the line was getting larger, we sent a group of CUB members outside telling everyone to form a smaller line, but they were ignored."
Students were also surprised CUB did not sell tickets in advance, as they have in the past for similar big-name acts like Third Eye Blind and Saves the Day.
Gkionis said while it's disappointing so many students were unable to attend Friday's show, the "Welcome Back Weekend Concert" is booked the same way every year, regardless of which acts are playing.
"Traditionally, we haven't had advance ticket sales for 'Welcome Back Weekend' shows because it is so early in the semester," Gkionis said. "We have always sold at the door. It's the beginning of the semester, so it would have been difficult to publicize a ticket-selling date and time to the entire campus on the second day of classes."
Prior arrangements with Brand New's agency also prevented CUB from selling tickets in advance.
She added that budget issues stymied efforts to reserve the Student Recreation Center, which housed last Spring's heavily attended Third Eye Blind concert. This year's Spring Concert, which will showcase Lupe Fiasco and hip hop icon Ludacris, will be held in the Rec. Center.
Gkionis said the Rec. Center would have cost $20,000 more and would have forced CUB to raise ticket prices.
Tickets were sold for $5 to College students.
When the concert reached full capacity, Gkionis said CUB staff did what they could to open up additional spaces for students who remained in line after the show sold out. According to the CUB director, several CUB staff members gave up their free seats to the show to open extra spaces, and staff allowed extra concert-goers to come in and fill seats after about 10 students left when Kevin Devine finished playing.
Zielinski says she's accepted that she missed the show, but added that she hopes CUB will change its "Welcome Back Weekend Concert" policies in the future.
"I wish they would pre-sell tickets next time, and maybe have some sort of cut off," she said. "They should have told people like, from this point on (in the line) you're not getting in."
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(01/21/09 5:00pm)
The men's basketball team split the final two games of their Winter Break schedule, rallying to bury rival Rowan University 70-65 on the road before running out of gas down the stretch against Rutgers University-Newark 79-74, Saturday afternoon.
The 1-1 road trip leaves the Lions with a 6-8 overall record, and a 2-3 New Jersey Athletic Conference mark.
Junior forward Aaron Syversten and junior guard Jay Frank tallied 51 of the Lions 70 points against Rowan, with Syversten drilling nine of 12 three-pointers and Frank shooting a perfect six of six from the charity stripe.
After a back-and-forth first half, the Lions tied things up right after halftime on a Frank three-pointer. But the Profs scored 12 unanswered points to go up 48-36. Led by senior guard Dan Reddan and junior forward Tim Cook, Rowan held the Lions off as the game approached the four-minute mark, leading 61-52.
Syversten, who scored all his points from beyond the arc, responded by nailing four straight three-pointers, capping off a one-man 12-2 run that put the Lions up 64-63.
Reddan put the Profs ahead for a brief second with a lay-up, but Lion forward Stephen Siracusa returned the favor to put the Lions in command by a score of 66-65. Forced to foul with less than 20 seconds remaining the Profs sent Frank to the line twice, and the calm guard made four consecutive attempts to put the game away.
The loss drops the Profs to 1-4 in-conference, and 8-9 overall.
Despite another solid performance from Frank on Saturday (21 points, three assists and three steals), it was the Scarlet Raiders' junior forward Deshawn Singleton who commanded the spotlight, literally barreling through the Lion defense en route to a 79-74 victory.
Singleton scored 13 of his game-high 26 points inside the paint, slashing and driving past the College's big men, taking control of a topsy-turvy contest that featured 10 lead changes. The Scarlet Raiders held a 33-30 halftime lead, and ripped off an 8-2 run to start the second half, putting the home squad up 41-32.
But a three-pointer by senior guard Jeff Molinelli woke the Lions offense up. Frank followed that with another three, and then went coast to coast twice, stripping the Raider guards for a pair of fast break lay-ups that put the Lions ahead 42-41.
The game would remain tight until the final two minutes when Singleton out maneuvered two Lion defenders to snatch a rebound and put the Scarlet Raiders up for good, 69-68. Raiders senior guard Dan Cherry converted on a three-point play moments later to seal the deal.
The win put the Scarlet Raiders at 4-1 in the NJAC and 11-6 overall.
The Lions first test of the new semester comes tonight when Rutgers University-Camden visits Packer Hall at 8 p.m. A Lion win puts them back at the .500 mark in the NJAC.
The Lions' upcoming NJAC schedule has them pitted against in-conference foes seven times over the course of the next month. The play of big scorers Syversten and Frank will be instumental in determining how the College finishes the season.
(12/03/08 5:00pm)
It was a familiar sight.
With 40 minutes left in their Nov. 22 NCAA Division III Tournament match with unbeaten Williams College, Jamie Kunkel and Coleen Weber had come together once more, combining on a goal that gave the Lions the lead and a clear path to victory.
But the formula that had carried the Lions through the first two rounds of the national tournament didn't hold up against the top-ranked squad in the country, as the Ephs answered twice, recording a 2-1 decision that bounced the Lions out of the national title hunt.
"I'm so proud of these kids it's not even funny," head coach Joe Russo said. "We've had a slew of injuries. I give all the credit to Williams. I thought they played well. We just lost a bunch of people. We're a shell of what we should be, but I don't want that to be the focus. To get this far without eight starters, I'm ecstatic."
Both teams had trouble finding their marks in the first half because of the miserable weather conditions, but five minutes into the second half Weber found Kunkel, who fired one high off the left crossbar. The redirect snuck behind junior goalkeeper Lauren Sinnenberg to put the Lions up 1-0.
The Ephs answered 13 minutes later as junior forward Sarah Walmsley found herself in a similar situation. Working off a feed from junior forward/midfielder Gabrielle Woodson, Walmsley rocked a shot off the post, tying the contest at 1.
Walmsley and Woodson penetrated the Lions defense again with 12 minutes remaining, this time doubling up the Lions' junior keeper Jessica Clarke. Reversing roles, Walmsley fed Woodson with a crossing shot to set the final score of 2-1.
Clarke had seven saves on the day, wrapping up a phenomenal tournament performance for the Lions stopper. The junior keeper racked up 21 saves throughout the tournament and recorded two shutouts.
The Lions once again lived and died by one particular stat category - shots-on-goal. The Ephs outshot the Lions 17-10.
The top team in the country controlled the first half tempo, out shooting the Lions 10-4 before making good on two of their five second-half chances.
The loss wraps up the Lions' season at 14-7-1. Once again, the team fell a few wins short of a national championship, but with their gritty play, they still managed to reach the round of 16 in the national tourney with a banged up group of players.
While they won't make excuses, the Lion seniors are sure the returning underclassman will carry on the tradition of excellence that has made the squad a force in the NJAC and on the national scene over the past few years. As years pass, the performances of Kunkel, Weber and Clarke will not be forgotten and their efforts will not be underappreciated.
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(11/19/08 5:00pm)
Despite all the buzz surrounding new head coach Kelly Williams, it was another former Mercer County Community College attendee who propelled the men's basketball team to victory Saturday.
Falling in line with Kelly's aggressive new-look offense, speedy junior point guard Eric Blackmon-Hayes took full advantage of his debut as a Lions starter, converting a three-point play with seconds left to lift the Lions over the visiting Lehman College Lightning, 65-59.
"I'm so happy, not just for myself but for the players," an elated Williams said. "They worked so hard in preseason, and it was nice to come out and get the 'W' in front of a packed house Saturday."
Hayes, who led all Lion scorers with a career-high 13 points, stripped a Lehman player with less than 20 seconds to go. The first-time starter exploded to the other end of the court, swooping in with a layup as he was fouled. Hayes drained his attempt from the charity stripe to double the Lion lead and lock the final score.
"That's what I expect from Eric," Williams said. "He's the type of player who is going to do more positive things than negative things over the course of 40 minutes."
Junior forward Aaron Syverstern backed up Hayes with 12 points, contributing largely to a second-half surge that saw the Lions go up 60-43. But the Lightning, led by senior guard Duane Rhoden's 24-point performance, worked their way back into the contest. A late 14-0 run put the Lightning within three before Hayes sank two free throws to put the Lions up 62-57.
While the new head coach was delighted with the Lions' offensive play, he said the near-collapse late in the second half proved the team is still finding themselves.
"In the second half, our players got comfortable and made some shots," Williams said. "But with a team that's trying to find its identity, we didn't finish the game as strong as we would have liked. We stayed aggressive late, but we were not smart and Lehman got some momentum."
"Our next step is that we have to be consistent the entire 40 minutes," he continued. "That's how you become a great basketball team."
Williams' aggressive offensive philosophy seemed to pay off, as the Lions shot 50 percent from the field in the second half and out-rebounded the Lightning 41-33.
Co-captain guards senior Jeff Molinelli and junior Jay Frank stayed out of the spotlight while contributing to the Lion victory. Molinelli turned in a solid defensive performance, blocking a shot and snaring three steals, while Frank had nine points on the afternoon.
The Lions returned to action last night when they traveled to New York for a non-conference matchup with Brooklyn College. Tip-off was set for 5 p.m.
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(11/19/08 5:00pm)
The women's soccer team proved they were worthy of their at-large bid to the NCAA Division III tournament, using excellent defensive play and a series of crucial late scores to down a pair of opponents over the weekend and advance to the round of sixteen.
Junior goalkeeper Jessica Clarke snared 14 saves over the two games, putting her team in position to capitalize on her stellar play.
And that's just what they did.
Mere moments into the second overtime of Saturday's opening-round matchup with Moravian College, senior forward Jamie Kunkel fed a pass to senior midfielder Coleen Weber. Weber booted the ball into the back of the net, extending the Lions' season for at least one more day.
"In the past week as a team we have talked about how receiving an at-large bid to the tournament was such a great opportunity to prove to the whole country that - despite our record (14-6-1) - we are still a force to be reckoned with," Weber said. "The goal itself made me feel proud that as a team we were finally beginning to execute the way we have wanted to all season - and at just the right time."
Shots-on-goal were key again for the Lions, as they denied the Greyhounds a single crack at Clarke in the two extra periods. The Lions only had two scoring chances in the first overtime themselves, but Weber's blast was all they needed in the second overtime to earn the win.
"Our defense was very strong this weekend. The four backs, and the people who came in those positions completely shut down the other team," Kunkel said. "The opportunities that they did get, Jess made amazing saves on. It was a great defensive effort from the front to the back."
Sunday's win was slightly less stressful as the Lions used a dominant second half to drop the Western Connecticut State University Colonials 3-0. Weber and Kunkel traded places, but both still had a hand in the winning score.
This time Weber attacked the defense early in the second half, sneaking a crossing pass to Kunkel. The senior lifted a ball over the Colonials' senior keeper Shannon Cawley to put the Lions up 1-0.
Senior forward Jillian Casey padded the lead with 20 minutes to go, capitalizing on a mad scramble in front of the net. Cawley tried to handle a Lions corner kick, but the ball was tipped away from her. Casey tracked down the loose ball and split two Colonial defenders to extend the Lions lead to 2-0.
Freshman forward Annie McCarthy joined the fun with 58 seconds to go in the contest. The rookie robbed the ball at the top of the penalty box and maneuvered around a defender, firing a shot into the top right corner of the net to ice the victory.
The Lions could also take delight in defeat over the weekend, as rival Rowan University fell 2-1 at the hands of Eastern University on Sunday. That makes the Lions the only surviving New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) squad in the tournament, despite their semifinal loss against Rowan two weeks ago.
"To be honest, there were some smiles," Kunkel said of the reaction to Rowan's loss. "When we lost to them, we thought our season was over, and our chances of a bid taken away. It's ironic that we are the only NJAC tam left in the tournament. But we definitely deserve to be here."
A tough test lies ahead, as the Lions visit undefeated Williams University (17-0-1) this weekend in a sectional semifinal.
Weber says her squad won't be intimidated by their opponents' perfect mark.
"I think we are going to approach this game like we did this past weekend. We know that the most important factor that will affect the game result is how we play as a team, not the other team's record, goals scored, etc," Weber said. "Throughout the year we have learned over and over again that the most important factor in a game is not who is supposed to be better than who, but which team has the most desire to win."
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(11/12/08 5:00pm)
The torch has been passed.
Searching for a fourth straight New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) title, the Lions ran into a roadblock in Glassboro, N.J., Nov. 5 as eventual tournament winner Rowan University dropped the Lions 2-1. The crushing loss ended the Lions' streak of three conference tournament wins, but the team still earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III tournament, which will kick off this weekend.
With their automatic bid, the Profs will host a portion of the bracket when they open up against SUNY-Oneonta this weekend. The Lions will travel to Skidmore College, where they face Moravian College Saturday.
With the NJAC rivals on opposite ends of the bracket, they can only have a rematch in the tournament final.
"Our loss at Rowan was very disappointing, especially considering our record this year didn't guarantee us a postseason bid without winning the conference," senior midfielder Jillian Casey said. "Not only have we won the NJAC tournament the past three years, but we have made it to the final four each of those years as well, so it was very difficult to face the fact that our season may have been cut short so suddenly."
Rowan was aggressive on their home turf, slowing the Lions' normally furious offensive attack. Two of the Profs' rookies put the ball in the net early, setting the tone for the evening. Freshman midfielder Nina Fragoso found classmate and midfielder Veronica Rhea in the box halfway through the first period, and the rookie rocketed the pass behind the Lions' junior goalkeeper Jessica Clarke to put the Profs up 1-0.
After the opening score, the match became a defensive battle that saw the Profs successfully limit the Lions' shot count. Throughout the season, the Lions have dominated the shots-on-goal category, chipping away at opposing keepers on the way to victory. But the Profs outshot their rivals from the College six to four in the first half and 13-11 overall.
Rowan junior Sarah Volkomer, who was honored as the NJAC Goalkeeper of the Year, frustrated the Lions for the second time this season, snaring nine saves on the night. Clarke only managed four saves, allowing two goals on Wednesday.
The second Prof score came with only 2:48 to play, killing any hope the Lions had of forcing overtime. Sophomore forward Jess Babice found the back of the net when she went one on one with Clarke and blasted a shot into the upper right hand corner to make it 2-0.
Lion senior forward Jamie Kunkel gave her squad a chance with 22 seconds remaining, beating Volkomer for the second time this season off an assist from Casey, but the clock ran out on the Lions' title chances before they could score again.
Wednesday's semifinal win was the Profs' first over the Lions since 1996. The teams tied 1-1 during a midseason encounter where Kunkel became the first player to slip a goal past Volkomer all year. Rowan (15-0-2) shut out top-seeded Montclair State University on Saturday to win the conference crown.
While the sting from the defeat remains, Casey says Monday's announcement that the team would play on reenergized the Lions.
"When we found out that we received a bid to the tournament, the team was absolutely ecstatic," Casey said. "We're very excited for the opportunity and looking forward to extending the season as long as possible."
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(11/06/08 5:00pm)
The women's soccer team woke from its late-season slumber at just the right time, roaring to life in a pair of shutout victories that propelled the Lions into the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) tournament semifinals.
After blanking the University of Rutgers-Newark Scarlet Raiders 4-0 on Oct 29 to lock up the third seed in the conference tourney, the Lions opened their playoff schedule by running over the William Paterson University (WPU) Pioneers 4-0 to advance to last night's second-round tilt with Rowan University.
On Saturday afternoon, the three-time defending conference champs showed they're serious about defending their title, jumping out to an early 2-0 lead against the visiting Pioneers. After a WPU miscue led to an own goal five minutes into the quarterfinal contest, senior midfielder Coleen Weber snatched away a Pioneer clearing attempt and netted her fifth goal of the season to put the Lions up 2-0.
WPU's junior goalkeeper Meghan Baker stopped the Lions from blowing the game wide open in the first half, using her quickness to make three diving stops before the intermission. Baker tallied seven saves on the day but got little help from the Pioneers' stagnant offense.
Senior forward Jamie Kunkel put the game out of reach early in the second half when she beat Baker on a pass from freshman defenseman Annie McCarthy to make it 3-0.
Pioneer senior forward Amanda Kurdyla, sensing the clock ticking on the final game of her career, tried desperately to fire a ball past the Lions' junior keeper Jessica Clarke, but the tough-as-nails goalkeeper denied her on two separate occasions. Kurdyla found herself all alone in the box against Clarke with just 23 minutes remaining, but the junior made a leaping save. Moments later, Kurdyla attacked the net once more, only to be stopped by Clarke, who had four saves in 90 minutes of work, earning her sixth shutout of the season.
The Lions locked up the third seed earlier in the week as they trounced the Scarlet Raiders 4-0 on Oct. 29. The College went for the throat, ruining Rutgers-Newark's senior day by scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes. Junior Casey Caruso redirected a corner kick 13 minutes in to put the Lions ahead. Rookie McCarthy made it 2-0 a few moments later, firing a 25-yard missile into the back of the net.
The Scarlet Raiders looked to change the momentum in the second half when rookie goalkeeper
Kat Renteria blocked a penalty kick by Kunkel, but the persistent forward slipped the rebound past the young keeper, putting the Lions ahead 3-0. Senior forward Erin Cunliffe notched her team-leading 10th goal of the year later in the half, setting the final score.
The loss ended any hopes for the Scarlet Raiders, who have not advanced to the postseason in eight years to reach the NJAC tournament.
The Lions' return to form against the Rutgers-Newark squad was spurred by a familiar statistical trend. Once again, the women's soccer team managed to dominate time of possession and shots-on-goal, ticking off 23 attempts on the Scarlet Raiders' rookie keeper, while the Rutgers crew only managed to return fire five times. Renteria, who has been one of the only bright spots for an otherwise abysmal Raiders-Newark squad, racked up 11 saves while under constant attack from the Lions.
The Lions took on rival Rowan last night in a semifinal matchup at the Profs' Glassboro campus. Earlier in the year, the Lions and Profs battled to a 1-1 tie in Ewing that saw two of the NJAC's top goalkeepers (Clarke and Profs' senior stopper Sarah Volkomer) stifle all scoring attempts for nearly 90 minutes.
In that contest, Kunkel became the first player to sneak a ball past Volkomer on the year, and it's not likely the Rowan keeper has forgotten the blemish on her record.
If the Lions escaped Tuesday's hostile matchup with a win, they will face either Montclair State University or top-seeded Richard Stockton in the conference finals on Saturday.
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(11/06/08 5:00pm)
Paced by clutch performances from their top harriers, the men's and women's cross country teams maintained their stranglehold over the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Friday, winning the 2008 NJAC Championship meets at Richard Stockton College in dominating fashion.
The men earned their 15th consecutive conference title and 20th overall. For the women, it was their 14th straight championship and 25th in league history.
Seniors Chris Guerriero and Martine McGrath set the tone in Friday's romp, leading from wire-to-wire en route to individual gold. Travis Stewart, a senior from Rutgers University-Camden, was the only runner able to challenge the senior Lion, but Guerriero pulled away toward the end of the grueling 8-kilometer course, clocking a winning time of 24:39 to earn his third straight individual NJAC crown. Stewart ran a gutsy race, but finished second in 24:46.
"He was giving Guerriero a fight the entire time," freshman Alex Yersak said. "Chris told me he was hanging on for dear life but (Guerriero) had more guts and kicked past the guy."
The Lions sealed the victory by placing all five of their scorers in the top 10. Sophomore TJ Bocchino nabbed the bronze medal in 26:02, while freshman phenom Yersak continued his jaw-dropping rookie campaign, completing the course in 26:18 for sixth place. Senior Mike Fonder was a breath behind Yersak, touring the Stockton trails in 26:19 to claim seventh.
"The goal for the race was to get the job done, and the job was winning the race," Bocchino said. "We knew we had the tools to run a successful race."
Yersak and some of his teammates were annoyed with their times, as they veered off course nearly two or three miles into the race due to a misplaced marker. He said he and those around him wandered 100 meters off the trail and lost about 45 seconds redirecting themselves.
"But you can't let it bother you. When we finally got back on course everyone caught up and we had to kick it up a notch," Yersak said.
Sophomore Dennie Waite rounded out the Lions' scorers, finishing ninth with a time of 26:30. Senior Josh Krowicki (22nd, 27:24) and junior Brandon Rodkewitz (24th, 27:43) were in reserve.
The men tallied 26 points to earn the title, while Rowan University edged out Ramapo University and Rutgers-Camden to slip into second with 63 points. The Ramapo Roadrunners finished third with 65, while the Scarlet Raptors fell all the way into fourth place with 68.
McGrath was pressed only by her teammates in the women's 5-kilometer contest, finishing more than 30 seconds ahead of Rowan's freshman sensation Jena Peacock (third, 22:31). The veteran Lion controlled the tempo of her race from start to finish, eventually shaking off teammate senior Stephanie Herrick to earn the gold in 21:57. Herrick settled for her third straight silver medal at the NJAC meet with a time of 22:24.
"It's always tough running a race wire to wire, but I had a goal in mind and the beginning of the race and the motivation not to give up," McGrath said.
The women placed four more harriers in the top 10. Behind McGrath and Herrick were juniors Michelle Wallace (fourth, 23:01) and Megan Donovan (sixth, 23:35). Freshman Katie Nestor followed her upperclass teammates closely over the course, taking seventh in a time of 23:55. Senior Justine Carnevale (10th, 24:02) and junior Nicole Ullmeyer (12th, 24:11) were in reserve.
Guerriero's win marks the 13th consecutive year a Lion has walked into the winner's circle at the men's conference championship race. McGrath's gold medal performance was also the 13th straight individual NJAC victory for the women's squad.
The varsity Lions will take to the trails again on Nov. 15 at the Atlantic Regional at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.
(11/06/08 12:00pm)
Campus Police are looking for a male wanted for questioning in connection with the semester-long crime spree that has seen seven cars vanish from the school's largest parking deck.
The suspect, a 20- to 22-year-old male, was spotted driving a stolen blue-green Honda from Lot 6 on Oct. 20.
Police witnessed the 5-foot-8-inch, approximately 170-pound suspect exiting Lot 6 around 2:40 a.m. on Oct. 20. Officers ran the plate number, and the car was reported stolen roughly three hours later. A police sketch to be distributed throughout campus this week says the suspect, who was seen wearing a collared grey jacket, has dark hair and complexion and a medium build.
Campus Police Chief John Collins also confirmed the possibility of the use of "skeleton" keys in the string of thefts.
"We do believe there is at least one set of master keys (in use)," Collins said.
According to Collins, some of the four cars recovered were found with minimal or no damage.
"Some were recovered without damage to their locks or ignition, which leads me to believe (the thief) is using master keys to get into the vehicles, which makes it hard to detect," Collins said. "We're losing Nissans, Hondas and Saturns from the mid-1990s."
Last week The Signal reported that four of the seven cars that disappeared this semester were either Hondas or Nissans. On Aug. 15, a Trenton-area resident was arrested in Lawrenceville, N.J., for receiving stolen property and possession of a set of motor vehicle master keys. The set of master keys on his person included keys for Hondas, Nissans and Saturns. On Oct. 1 the suspect pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property and is currently awaiting sentencing at the Mercer County Correction Center.
Despite the apparent break in the case, Collins said Campus Police will continue to remain vigilant in their supervision of Lot 6. Police beefed up patrols and surveillance of Lot 6 in September when the thefts first began occuring.
"We have been doing surveillance in the parking lots since September on an almost daily basis," Collins said. "There has been an officer in Lot 6 for the majority of the days since September on varied shifts and hours. We have been running license plates and checking suspicious individuals."
Collins also responded to the backlash from students who did not believe Campus Police were effectively handling the string of car thefts, insisting the police are doing everything in their power to stop the thefts.
"We're working very aggressively to apprehend whoever is doing this and to stop it from occurring," Collins said.
He also acknowledged the possibility of adding security cameras to Lot 6.
"That is under discussion," Collins said.
Collins sent out a campus-wide e-mail Monday night, further discussing police attempts to handle both the thefts and the shooting incident that took place Saturday morning in Lot 4.
Police are not suggesting that owners of '90s-era Hondas, Nissans and Saturns park their cars elsewhere, but to take more steps to secure their vehicles.
"People with these makes of cars should invest in anti-theft systems, wheel locks and break locks. It will provide an extra deterrent," Collins said.
He also asked that students keep an eye out for suspicious activity, and call the Campus Police Headquarters at x2167 if they notice anything out of sorts in Lot 6 or anywhere else on campus.
Finally, Collins addressed students who are concerned about possibly being interrogated in the parking lot.
He said, "Students that are stopped and questioned in the lots should be patient, as we're doing it to ensure everyone's safety."
James Queally can be reached at queally2@tcnj.edu.